1. Technical Field
The embodiments of the present invention are directed to an electronic device and a method of operating the electronic device, and more specifically to an electronic device that may be used for a videoconference and a method of operating the electronic device.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Tele-presence refers to a set of technologies which allow a person to feel as if they were present. Tele-presence technologies reproduce information on five senses a person feels in a specific space at a remote location. Element technologies for tele-presence may include video, audio, tactile, and network transmission technologies. Such tele-presence technologies are adopted for video conference systems. Tele-presence-based video conference systems provide higher-quality communications and allow users to further concentrate on the conversation compared to conventional video conference systems.
The tele-presence technologies for teleconference systems, although showing a little difference for each and every manufacturer, may be applicable to video, audio, and network transmission technologies as follows:
For video technologies, the tele-presence technologies apply as generating natural eye-contact images for being able to make a user further feel like he would face another user and generating high-resolution images. For audio technologies, the tele-presence technologies apply as audio playback technologies that may create a feeling of a space based on a speaker's location. For network transmission technologies, the tele-presence technologies apply as real-time image/sound transmission technologies based on an MCU (Multi Control Unit).
In contrast to video, audio, and network transmission for video conference systems which have been actively researched, data sharing between attendants in a conference is still not satisfactory. Current video conference systems use a separate monitor for data sharing. Accordingly, when a user shifts his eyes from an image screen to a data screen, the eye contact is not maintained lowering a feeling as if actually facing another user. Moreover, a short drop in conversation occurs at every data manipulation because the data manipulation is conducted by a peripheral device, such as a mouse.